 Fantasy: July 20, 2016 Issue [#7759] |
  Fantasy
This week: Specific Settings in Fantasy - Ship Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Fantasy Newsletter by Dawn
Ships can make for a fun setting in a story but have a few set backs as well when picking them for a setting. This goes for both water and air ships. Another specific setting newsletter for fantasy and science fiction. |
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Back with another setting topic and this time it's kind of fun. Not that the woods aren't fun with all of their story options but this time we are going to talk about stories that take place on ships. This can be boats on the water, ones that float in the sky or even the epic space ships from science fiction. There are many options in the speculative fiction genres for this type of setting but it also has a few minor issues that come up when using them in any given story. First, let's look at some different types of ships that one can use, then we can discuss some the drawbacks from the setting.
Water v. Air
While often pirate ships or huge boats might be the first thing that comes to mind there are both water and air ships that could be used, depending on the story. The size for either can vary too. Sometimes it's a tiny little canoe or kayak where the characters use it to get down a stream and other times it could be a huge cruise. Both options can create interest and can be fun. Let's delve into two ones in particular. These two can be air based but the second could also be a massive ship on the water, depending on usage.
Spaceships
These come to mind when I think about ships and speculative fiction. There are the little ships or planes that character use for different activities, but there are also really big ones. Some worlds house whole communities in space within a ship. A couple of movies and tv shows have also been set in ship locations. When we were younger, my sister and I watched the movie "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" and all of the movies based off the character involved a space ship where Zenon was living. There are also shows like Star Trek and such. Space has some fun options for ships and planes, for sure.
Steampunk
While the history connections are a little out of my range when it comes to steampunk as a subgenre, the ships that some use definitely intrique me as a reader and writer. There are some beautiful drawings of steampunk airships and other types of ships available. I see some posted on instagram and facebook on a regular basis and they always catch my attention. The mechanics of the very large airship do seem questionable at times but that's where suspending belief comes in handy since we're writing speculative fiction. These ships can be ornate, or even somewhat plan and can vary in design from more like a pirate ship to round like the Hindenburg.
Problems with Ships
There are a few issues that will come up if picking this particular setting. Often, the suspension of belief from the reader will be necessary because some crafts don't always follow specific laws or rules that we know in our world since we're talking about stories within fantasy and science fiction.
Aside from that issue is the question of space and I don't mean to infinite and beyond. A craft has to have the ability to float/fly but have room within for the crew or whole city, depending on the setting in the particular story. This can be a challenge when writing the story, trying to figure out what all would be needed in the setting while not overloading it, but the lacking of space can also add to some of the turmoil and conflicts. Something to work with as well as work on in the story.
Ships can be quite fun. Whether it's a ship sailing out to sea for the lost treasure of some mystical person or the spacecraft kept in outer space with a mini city as a living experiment, there are many speculative fiction options here with this type of setting. You just have to write it. |
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Does your story take place on a type of ship?
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